UROP at the Capitol for Research Day 2024

On February 6, the faculty, staff, and students involved in more than 50 research projects and programs at UH Mānoa—including UROP—converged on the fourth floor of the Hawai‘i State Capitol to share about their work to legislators and to each other as part of the second annual UHM Research Day.

This year’s event revolved around the theme of UH Mānoa’s Kuleana to Hawai‘i and the World: Our Commitment to Excellence in Research. Featured work included everything from the impacts of the Maui wildfires to the strategic importance of East Asian language learning to national security. “We bring the research here to [the legislators] so they can be exposed to it as well and see how students are able to use this to improve their education,” said Dr. Chris Sabine, UHM’s interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship, who leads the office responsible for organizing the event (OVPRS). “It also helps to show the value of the research to our state in general.”

Participants from across the disciplines hosted research-related games and activities, spoke with attendees at informational tables, and gave rapid-fire oral presentations, highlighting the breadth and significance of university research. UROP Assistant Director Seung Yang delivered the day’s final presentation. The presentation focused on how undergraduate research and creative work as a nationally-recognized high-impact practice promote student retention, on-time graduation, satisfaction in college experience, in addition to preparing students to contribute to society by addressing the issues we face in our state and around the world. “It was a privilege to represent our program and our university to share with the legislators the importance and benefits of undergraduate research and creative work not only to students, but to all of us,” Yang stated.

UROP was also joined at their table by three current Project funding recipients: Yejun Kweon (Asian Studies major), Princess Jena Santiago (Biochemistry major), and Emilia Loubet (Spanish major). Lubet, who researches the Hispanic population in the islands, shared, “The Latino community in Hawai‘i is in need of more support, including language access, health care, navigating unfamiliar systems, and much more. Latinos have a deep rooted-history in Hawai‘i and impact Hawai‘i’s economy with their hard work in the coffee and agricultural industries. Being at the Capitol on Research Day was a great opportunity to see everyone’s community research, and it was inspiring to be able to talk to the state legislature.” 

Kweon, a two-time UROP funding recipient who researches ecocriticism and ecofeminism in North Korean science fiction, attended both the 2023 and 2024 Research Day events. “Being here was an invaluable experience for me to share my research experience with students, faculties, and legislators,” she stated. “I remember learning and getting advice from upperclassmen before starting my research with UROP. It was a privilege for me to do the same and meet like-minded students. I was also able to receive support and comments on my research from a number of people, which I find very helpful to grow as a scholar.”

UHM is classified as one of only 121 R1 universities, a designation reserved for universities with the highest amounts of research activity, as measured by grant funding and publications. In fiscal year 2023, the entire UH system brought in over $515 million in extramural research funding, of which UHM researchers raised $342 million.